Africanized bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) sting accidents and honey production: An epidemiological analysis in the state of Piauí (2014–2023)

ABSTRACT Piauí ranks among the states with the largest honey production in Brazil, with a growing number of beekeepers concentrated especially in the semi-arid region. Despite its socioeconomic relevance, concerns arise regarding the increased risk of accidents involving Africanized bees, particularly when considering the precarious medical care provided to victims of venomous animal accidents in inland cities. The objective was to analyze the relationship between honey production in the state and the spatial distribution of bee-related accidents, as well as to describe their epidemiological characteristics. The study is exploratory-retrospective, using data available from the IBGE Automatic Recovery System and the Piauí State Health Department, covering the period from 2014 to 2023. The variables analyzed regarding accident characteristics were age group, sex, occupation, sting location, clinical manifestation, and final case classification. A total of 5,984 bee-related accidents were recorded in 176 municipalities of Piauí, representing 10.4% of venomous animal accidents in the state, with 13 deaths and an average lethality rate of 0.22%. Although a strong correlation was observed between the occurrence of bee accidents and honey production (r=0.85), there was no higher incidence of accidents among the state's main production hubs, possibly due to greater professionalization of beekeeping in these municipalities. Accidents predominantly occurred in urban areas, involving adult men, which indicates the presence of established colonies or transient swarms in the urban environment. It is concluded that there is no relationship between beekeeping production and the occurrence of accidents in Piauí.